Everyone’s favorite Spartan warrior is back, and this time on the PSP. Kratos steps up in to this prequel to the God of War series. The PS2 games have been some of the biggest in the system’s history, but just how well does Kratos do on the go? Here is a breakdown of some of the facets of God of War: Chains of Olympus for the PSP:

Presentation and Graphics: Hands down this is the most beautiful game on the PSP to date. The graphics are flat out stunning. Characters and environments are all meticulously detailed with great lighting effects. There are many times when you’ll think you’re playing a PS2 version on a tiny screen. Weapon and Magic animations are all done very well, as are the cutscenes which further your knowledge of Kratos’ story. 10 of 10

Sound and Music: The sound design in God of War: Chains of Olympus is done in the same fashion as it’s console brothers. A well-suited orchestral score fills the background when needed. The music isn’t obtrusive and accentuates the gameplay very well. Sound effects for the Blades of Chaos, the Sun Shield, various Magic attacks, and the environment all sound great. Why does Kratos have to yell all the time though? Yeah, he killed his family, but can’t he have a normal conversation with one of the gods? 9 of 10

Gameplay: When I first heard about God of War coming to the PSP, two thoughts crossed my mind. First was “It’s about damn time”. The second, which stuck out a bit futher, was “Will the game translate well to the handheld, especially with the epic scope and great controls?” The answer to that question is unequivocally yes. God of War: Chains of Olympus takes the great story, scope and controls from it’s PS2 brothers and brings them to the PSP. The gameplay works out very well, even without a right analog stick and the extra two shoulder buttons. Personally, I like the controls best on the PSP, as things are a bit more simplified.

The game is a prequel to the previous two God of War games, but it starts out after Kratos has killed his family. He’s a servant to the gods trying to find a way to remove the tortured memories from his mind. The game kicks off with the Attica level as seen in the demo before moving off to Helios, Olympus, and even Hades. In an effort to not spoil the story, I’ll just say the world gets crazy as usual and the gods need Kratos to set things right.

One of the best features in God of War has been it’s epic scale. Huge environments and monstrous bosses make you realize just how big the world around you really is. In Chains of Olympus, that scale is well preserved. You’ll start off the game with fighting a huge Basilisk in the first level. As the game progresses, this feeling of an immense world stays present.

My only criticism is the save system. Chains of Olympus utilizes the same glowing areas for save points that are used in the PS2 God of War games. Unfortunately, they are spread too far apart in some instances. With a handheld game, you should have the option to save more frequently as your gaming sessions could only consist of a few minutes. Otherwise, the game is spectacular. 9.5 of 10

Lasting Appeal: While it will only take you about 5 hours to complete the game on Normal, there are a good deal of unlockables in the game, such as new costumes and God Mode difficulty. There’s more than enough, along with the stellar gameplay, to warrant a second and third playthrough. 9 of 10

Final Word: God of War: Chains of Olympus is the best game available on the PSP to date. With the stunning graphics, great sound, and phenominal gameplay, this is a must buy title. In fact, this game is more than enough reason to buy a PSP if you don’t already have one.

Overall: 9.5 of 10

Click here to see what our scores mean